Drip emitter for periodic, volumetrically timed, irrigation

Abstract

Drip emitter for periodic, volumetrically-timed, irrigation and drip irrigation laterals comprising such emitters, wherein the drip emitter implement a water-accumulation chamber as a hydro-mechanical timer and comprises in addition, a first no-drain valve positioned on the downstream side of the irrigation water inlet to the drip emitter, a second valve located on the downstream side of the irrigation water flow path in the drip emitter, and a water drain that connects to the flow of irrigation water from one side of an elastic member in the emitter's water-accumulation chamber to the second valve, in a manner that helps to close it.

1 . A drip emitter for periodic, volumetrically-timed irrigation, comprising:
 a water inlet to the drip emitter, a water outlet from the drip emitter, and an irrigation water flow path disposed between the water inlet and the water outlet, the irrigation water flow path including a first pressure-reducing mechanism configured to convert the water flow entering the drip emitter from the water inlet under pressure into drops dripping from the water outlet; and   a water-accumulation chamber separating the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism from the water outlet of the drip emitter, and connected to the water inlet through an accumulatable water flow path having a second pressure-reducing mechanism, wherein said water-accumulation chamber also contains an elastic member separating and dividing between the accumulatable water on one side and the irrigation water on the other;   whereby when water accumulates on the one side of the elastic member that faces the accumulatable water flow path, the elastic member is stressed for strain and bends towards the irrigation water outlet from the drip emitter, so that eventually the other side of the elastic member comes in contact with the water outlet from the drip emitter and closes the water outlet; and   whereby when the pressure of the water entering the drip emitter is reduced, the water-accumulation chamber empties of the water accumulated inside, the elastic member is no longer stressed for strain, and the elastic member returns to a starting state by distancing the other side of the elastic member from the water outlet of the drip emitter and consequently opening the water outlet; and   wherein the drip emitter also comprises:
 a first no-drain valve positioned after the irrigation water inlet and before the irrigation water flow path and the accumulatable water flow path, and configured to allow for a parallel flow of water towards the irrigation water flow path and the accumulatable water flow path when the valve is opened, and to close under predetermined pressure; 
 a second valve located on the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism of the irrigation water flow path in the drip emitter, positioned before the water-accumulation chamber that separates the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism from the water outlet of the drip emitter, and configured to allow the passage of irrigation water through the water-accumulation chamber on the other side of the elastic member to the water outlet when the second valve is open and to close under predetermined pressure; and 
 a water drain connected to the flow of irrigation water from the other side of the elastic member in the water-accumulation chamber and configured to direct irrigation water to said second valve, in a manner that helps to close the second valve. 
   
     
     
         2 . The drip emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said second valve will open and allow the passage of irrigation water through the water-accumulation chamber, on the other side of the elastic member, to the water outlet when the pressure of the irrigation water on the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism is lower than the predetermined water pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The drip emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pressure-reducing mechanism is designed to provide less resistance to the irrigation water flow than the resistance the said second pressure-reducing mechanism provides to the accumulatable water flow, thereby ensuring a period of time when irrigation water flows from the drip emitter to the designated irrigation area, even before a volume of accumulatable water accumulates in said water-accumulation chamber that will cause the said water outlet to close. 
     
     
         4 . The drip emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said first no-drain valve comprises an elastomeric diaphragm member, one side of which is exposed to the pressure of the water entering from said water inlet, and a second side comprises an air draining means that exposes said second side to atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The drip emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said drip emitter is an integral drip emitter that is formed as a sort of rectangular prism and is configured to be affixed to the inner wall of a water conduit, and wherein said drip emitter is also characterized in that it is a tri-part drip emitter comprised of a housing member, a cover member configured to fit inside said housing member, and an elastomeric member that is configured to fit between the housing member and the cover member. 
     
     
         7 . The drip emitter according to  claim 6 , wherein said elastomeric member is an integral unified part that is formed with a first segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said first no-drain valve, with a second segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said second valve, and with a third segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said elastic member. 
     
     
         8 . The drip emitter according to  claim 7 , wherein said integral unified elastomeric member is formed as a rectangular flat surface, with said first and second segments arranged side by side on the rectangular flat surface, each having a round configuration, and said third segment is arranged next to the first and second segments on the rectangular flat surface in a rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The drip emitter according to  claim 7 , wherein upon assembling said cover member inside said housing member, said first, second and third segments of said elastomeric member are each circumferentially harnessed in order to operate them as elastic diaphragms, by arrays of matching protrusions and channels formed in said elastomeric member and in said housing member or said cover member. 
     
     
         10 . The drip emitter of  claim 7 , wherein upon assembling said cover member inside said housing member, said first, second and third segments of said elastomeric member are each circumferentially harnessed in order to operate them as elastic diaphragms, by flat flange means. 
     
     
         11 . The drip emitter of  claim 7 , wherein
 said housing member is shaped like a rectangular box that is open at the top and comprises: said water inlet, a stem that protrudes from the interior surface of the bottom of the housing member, while the housing member is connected to the water flow from said water inlet and is formed with a circumferential rim that serves with said first segment of said elastomeric member as a sealing base for said first no-drain valve; a segment of said second pressure-reducing mechanism that is formed as a two-ended baffle labyrinth, which is embedded into the interior surface of the bottom of the housing member; an embedded chamber that is formed in the interior surface of the bottom of the housing member and is connected to a flow of water into it from a second end of said baffle labyrinth; and another embedded chamber;   said cover member is shaped like a rectangular prism, wherein upon mounting the drip emitter meant to be affixed to the inner wall of a feeding pipe, one side is formed: with an embedded exit pool, the bottom of which is formed as a wall in the center of which is an opening that is used as an irrigation water outlet from the drip emitter; with said first irrigation water pressure-reducing mechanism, which is formed as an embedded two-ended baffle labyrinth, which is connected from its second end to the water flow through an opening to the second side of the cover member; with an embedded two-ended channel, which extends along the cover member parallel to said baffle labyrinth, wherein it is connected at its second end to an air drain to the exit pool; and with a chamber that is connected to the flow of irrigation water through it from the second side of the cover member through one opening and for the outflow of the water back to the second side of the cover member through a second opening;   said cover member is formed on its second side, which upon mounting the cover member inside said housing member, faces the interior surface of the bottom of the housing member; with an embedded chamber that is demarcated by the bottom of said exit pool and is formed with a water outlet opening from the drip emitter in the center of the chamber and with said one opening that is connected to the irrigation water passage to the chamber on the other side, formed on the side of the chamber; with a stem that protrudes from the surface of the second side of the cover member, wherein it is connected to the irrigation water passage from said first pressure-reducing mechanism and is formed with a circumferential rim that serves together with said second segment of the elastomeric member as sealing base for said second valve; with an embedded passage that connects to the irrigation water passage from said stem to said embedded chamber that is demarcated at the bottom of said exit pool, and through the water outlet opening from the drip emitter to the exit pool; with another segment of said second pressure-reducing mechanism that is formed as a two-end baffle labyrinth; and with an embedded chamber where an air drain opening is formed at the bottom of it and is connected for draining air to one side of the cover member, to one end of the embedded channel which, as said, spans the length of the cover member, wherein it is connected from its second end for draining air into the exit pool; and   said elastomeric member is formed as a rectangular flat surface, which in addition to said first, second and third segments, which upon assembling the drip emitter serves as elastic diaphragms, respectively, of said first no-drain valve, of said second valve and of said elastic member, is also formed with a plurality of through-flow openings, the plurality of through-flow openings comprising: an opening that is connected to irrigation water flow to the one end of the baffle labyrinth, which serves as said first pressure-reducing mechanism and is formed in said cover member; an opening that is connected to accumulatable water flow to one end of the baffle labyrinth segment which serves as the second pressure-reducing mechanism and is formed in said cover member; an opening that connects to the accumulatable water passage from the second end of the baffle labyrinth segment that serves as the second pressure-reducing mechanism and is formed in said housing member; and an opening that connects to the irrigation water flow from the second opening of the chamber, which is formed on the one side of the cover member, to the additional embedded chamber that is formed on the interior surface of said housing member.   
     
     
         12 . The drip emitter of  claim 6 , wherein said cover member is fitted inside said housing member by snap-fit connectors formed between the cover member and the housing member. 
     
     
         13 . The drip emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said drip emitter is an integral drip emitter that is formed as a sort of rectangular prism and is configured for affixing to the inner wall of a water conduit; and,   the drip emitter is a two-part manufacture, bi-component that comprises a housing member, a frame that is formed with an elastomeric member within the frame and is connected to said housing member by an integral hinge, and a cover member.   
     
     
         14 . The emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said drip emitter is an integral drip emitter that is formed as a sort of rectangular prism and is configured to be affixed to the inner wall of a water conduit; and   the drip emitter is a one-part manufacture, bi-component that comprises a housing member, a frame member that is formed with an elastomeric member within the frame and is connected to the housing member by one integral hinge, and a cover member, which is connected to said housing member by a second integral hinge.   
     
     
         15 . The emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said second pressure-reducing mechanism comprises a baffle labyrinth or a diaphragm based, pressure regulating shutter or a combination of both. 
     
     
         16 . The drip emitter according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 said drip emitter is an integral drip emitter that is formed as a sort of rectangular prism and is configured to be affixed to the inner wall of a water conduit; and   said drip emitter is also characterized in that it is a tri-part drip emitter comprised of a housing member, a cover member configured to fit inside said housing member, and an elastomeric member that is configured to fit between the housing member and the cover member.   
     
     
         17 . The drip emitter according to  claim 16 , wherein said elastomeric member is an integral unified part that is formed with a first segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said first no-drain valve, with a second segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said second valve, with a third segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said elastic member, and with a fourth segment that serves as an elastomeric diaphragm in said pressure regulating shutter. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A drip emitter for periodic, volumetrically-timed irrigation, comprising:
 a water inlet to the drip emitter, a water outlet from the drip emitter, and an irrigation water flow path disposed between the water inlet and the water outlet, the irrigation water flow path including a first pressure-reducing mechanism configured to convert the water flow entering the drip emitter from the water inlet under pressure into drops dripping from the water outlet; and   a water-accumulation chamber separating the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism from the water outlet, and connected to the water inlet through an accumulatable water flow path having a second pressure-reducing mechanism, wherein said water-accumulation chamber also contains an elastic member separating and dividing between the accumulatable water on one side and the irrigation water on the other;   whereby when water accumulates on the one side of the elastic member that faces the accumulatable water flow path, the elastic member is stressed for strain and bends towards the irrigation water outlet from the drip emitter, so that eventually the other side of the elastic member comes in contact with the water outlet from the drip emitter and closes the water outlet; and   whereby when the pressure of the water entering the drip emitter is reduced, the water-accumulation chamber empties of the water accumulated inside, the elastic member is no longer stressed for strain, and the elastic member returns to a starting state by distancing the other side of the elastic member from the water outlet of the drip emitter and consequently opening the water outlet.   
     
     
         20 . The drip emitter according to  claim 19 , further comprising a first no-drain valve positioned after the irrigation water inlet and before the irrigation water flow path and the accumulatable water flow path, and configured to allow for a parallel flow of water towards the irrigation water flow path and the accumulatable water flow path when the valve is opened, and to close under predetermined pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The drip emitter for periodic, volumetrically-timed irrigation, comprising:
 a water inlet to the drip emitter, a water outlet from the drip emitter, and an irrigation water flow path disposed between the water inlet and the water outlet, the irrigation water flow path including a first pressure-reducing mechanism configured to convert the water flow entering the drip emitter from the water inlet under pressure into drops dripping from the water outlet;   a water-accumulation chamber separating the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism from the water outlet, and connected to the water inlet through an accumulatable water flow path having a second pressure-reducing mechanism, wherein said water-accumulation chamber also contains an elastic member separating and dividing between the accumulatable water on one side and the irrigation water on the other; and   a second valve located on the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism of the irrigation water flow path in the drip emitter, positioned before the water-accumulation chamber that separates the downstream side of said first pressure-reducing mechanism from the water outlet, and configured to allow the passage of irrigation water through the water-accumulation chamber on the other side of the elastic member to the water outlet when the second valve is open and to close under predetermined pressure;   whereby when water accumulates on the one side of the elastic member that faces the accumulatable water flow path, the elastic member is stressed for strain and bends towards the irrigation water outlet from the drip emitter, so that eventually the other side of the elastic member comes in contact with the water outlet from the drip emitter and closes the water outlet; and   whereby when the pressure of the water entering the drip emitter is reduced, the water-accumulation chamber empties of the water accumulated inside, the elastic member is no longer stressed for strain, and the elastic member returns to a starting state by distancing the other side of the elastic member from the water outlet of the drip emitter and consequently opening the water outlet.   
     
     
         22 . The drip emitter according to  claim 21 , further comprising a water drain connected to the flow of irrigation water from the other side of the elastic member in the water-accumulation chamber and configured to direct irrigation water to said second valve, in a manner that helps to close the second valve.